Homaloptera Leonarda

Homaloptera Leonarda, scientific name Pseudohomaloptera leonardi, belongs to the family Balitoridae (River loaches). The fish is named after Mr. GR Leonard, head of the Kuala Tahan National Park in colonial Malaysia during the time of King George V (Great Britain).

The identification of this species is still in doubt. In this article, it is presented according to the FishBase Global Catalog of Fish Species. Some researchers place it in the genus Homaloptera, others Balitoropsis.

Habitat

It comes from Southeast Asia from the territory of Peninsular Malaysia and the southern provinces of Thailand. Inhabits the upper reaches of rivers flowing down from the mountains. A typical biotope is a shallow stream or river with a fast, sometimes violent current, rocky substrates and clear, oxygen-rich water. Aquatic vegetation is not found in the channel, it is represented mainly by coastal plants.

Brief information:

• The volume of the aquarium – from 80 liters.
• Temperature – 20-26°C
• Value pH — 6.0–7.5
• Water hardness – soft (1-10 dGH)
• Substrate type — stony
• Lighting – moderate
• Brackish water – no
• Water movement – moderate or strong
• The size of the fish is 6–7 cm.
• Nutrition – any drowning
• Temperament – peaceful
• Content alone or in a group

Description

Adult individuals reach a length of about 6–7 cm. The body is elongated, somewhat squeezed from above. Large fan-shaped pectoral and ventral fins are located low on the body, thanks to which the fish is pressed against the stones against the current. The color is dark brown with a pattern of gray stripes and speckles.

Food

In nature, they feed on a layer of algae, scraping them from the surface of stones, as well as small crustaceans, insect larvae and other invertebrates. In a home aquarium, a combination of protein-rich foods and herbal supplements should be used.

Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium

The optimal size of the aquarium for 1-3 fish starts from 80-100 liters. When keeping, it is important not only to provide clean water with suitable temperatures and hydrochemical parameters, but also to recreate a moderate flow. It is recommended to turn the water 10-15 times per hour, i.e. for a tank of 100 liters, the internal filter or pump should pump 1000 liters per hour.

Given the presence of a rather strong current in the design, only heavy decor items should be used, for example, stones, fragments of rocks, driftwood.

Behavior and Compatibility

Peaceful calm fish. It gets along well in species that can live in similar conditions. Good neighbors in the aquarium will be such fish as Danio, Rasbory, catfish Akisis, Corydoras and others.

Breeding / breeding

At the time of writing, there are no successful cases of breeding the Homaloptera Leonard in home aquaria.

Fish diseases

The best guarantee against the occurrence of diseases is to keep the fish in suitable conditions, receive a balanced diet and the absence of external threats, such as attacks from tankmates. The appearance of signs of illness can be a signal that there are problems in the content. Usually, bringing the habitat back to normal contributes to self-healing, but if the body of the fish has suffered too much, then medical treatment will be required. Read more about symptoms and treatments in the Aquarium Fish Diseases section.